Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Beautiful Farm Sheds and Out Buildings

I have been cleaning out sheds and closets lately. It seems like before you know it, they are cluttered and full.

More and more magazines show darling out buildings, made into additional artist studios, actual garden sheds, writing retreats, you name it. Sheds are no longer, well just old plan sheds.

I have been so fortunate to have Frank, my hubby who just makes the cutest things out of nothing. How it starts is I say, "I would like to have another garden shed out back where I do the vegetable and flower growing." He says, "what do you want it to look like, give me a picture". Done!!! On to Pinterest, my old fashioned folders with photos cut out from magazines, Google. I give him the "look" I want, the materials I would like to see it made from, roughly the size. And the next thing I know, he has actual drawings, floor plan, estimate of how much it will cost.

I would like to show you the series of out buildings-sheds we have added to our farm. They are about the cutest things you can find in any magazine and we use each one of them all the time.

#1-The first garden shed had a former life. When we moved here, the previous owners had horses and about 1/2 of the property was devoted to corrals and a building where the horses could go into to get out of the rain. The building was in the way of where we wanted to put a new driveway. Frank and I talked about it and we hated to waste a good building, so one day, they put big round beams under it, hooked the tractor to it with chains and asked me "where do you want a new shed?". I had tentatively thought about where I was going to have a garden. You see, when we first purchased the property, it was 2 acres so the garden was going to be closer to the back yard. The following year, we purchased 3 1/2 acres behind the house and that was when we started farming with fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The horse shed got moved, we found old windows, Frank found an old barn door; I found some old turned posts at a yard sale. Frank not only made the building so cute, inside he installed a sink and a counter; lights and electricity. We even put in rubber click in place garage flooring. We spent many evenings sitting out front making our farming and life plans.

#2 The sorting shed and cooler were a much larger project. I will save this story for another day, but do want you to see the outside of the cooler when finished. Another spot to sit and reflect.

#3 We have had 4 different locations of a chicken coop. The former owners had a small coop that I used for a few years, but

Frank did move it with the tractor several times as we expanded and re-thought our land usage and several times the chickens were in the way.

After we purchased the land in the back, it changed things and once again, the chickens were on the move. I had seen in a magazine the most beautiful garden setting I have ever seen in my life. I had cut it out and had it in a wish folder.

I loved the style of that garden shed and showed it to Frank to see if he could build it for me as a chicken coop.

No problemo!!! What size, where, what do you want it made out of, etc. etc. Here it is before I ended up putting a picket fence around it.

#4 When you have 3 acres of land that you cultivate, plant, work, you always seem to need a shovel, rake, hose, irrigation supplies, etc and we were having to walk a long distance to garden shed #1.

So I thought about it and asked Frank if he would build me a garden shed near the garden. No problemo!!! Where, how big, how do you want it to look, what materials. This time, I wanted it out of old galvanized metal since we were fortunate enough to obtain some old stuff from a barn.

Naturally, I wanted a sliding barn door. (I have to say, I liked old barn doors long before they have become so popular, particularly since Fixer Upper show). They are so handy and take up less space than a conventional door.

So in the spring we started getting materials together, bit by bit, the building got finished. Water faucets outside-check. Lights and electricity inside so I can charge up electric power tools-check. Outside light in case I need to go out there at night- oh and use old farm looking lights-check. Make it cute-check.

Sometimes when I read about agritourism, I think about those sheds. Wouldn't somebody love to stay a night in these sheds and "experience" a farming life? I know I would!!!

Something like this old one.

My someday outdoor building project if I had some money???? An old pump house made into an apartment. I love these things.

Something like this one

My someday outdoor-another project if I had some money???? An old metal grain bin made into an artist studio.

4 comments:

What a fun post, Paula! I love the horse shed transformation. Great idea. Practical and really good looking. I had a horse when I was a kid. My dad built a shed for them. After seeing your projects I wish it was still standing...oh, the possibilities :)

Thank you Karen for your comment. I never thought it would make the move from the front of the property to the location but it worked out well. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and don't work too hard slipcovering all those huge couches!!

Beautiful sheds! You are a lucky woman, aren't you, having such a wonderful hubby that is capable of so many projects, taking an idea and turning it into such a gorgeous finished project. Glad you are enjoying your place!~~Lori

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About Windmill Farm

Windmill Farm is located in Northern California where my husband, Frank and I are living our dreams. I am a wife, mother, grandmother of two beautiful kids; Interior Designer/Decorator and we spend our days farming the fields; remodeling our 1920s house; working on designing/ decorating projects for ourselves or other people. We hope you enjoy our Windmill Farm blog.